Galashiels fraudster walks free from court

Ally McGilvray • Published 5 Apr 2011 09:30 0 Comments

A HEROIN addict who falsely claimed his mobile had been stolen in an attempt to gain a new phone by fraud was allowed to walk free after a court was told he had not been in trouble for six months - because he was in jail.

Thirty-two-year-old Leon Hitchings, formerly of Newtown St Boswells but now living in Kelso, previously admitted the offence at the Carphone Warehouse in Galashiels on March 23, during an earlier appearance at the Justice of the Peace Court in Selkirk.

However, sentence was deferred for six months to give him an opportunity to prove he could behave.

Hitchings solicitor Susan Gibson blamed her client's heroin addiction for his behaviour but insisted he was now clean since being released early from nine month prison sentence for robbing a disabled pensioner outside a sheltered housing complex in Galashiels in April last year.

The court heard he previously owned two homes, had a family and a good job before the heroin addiction took over.

Justice of the Peace Margaret McVitie noted Hitchings attempts to turn his life around and admonished him.

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This article appeared in Border Telegraph 05 Apr 11

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